Convertible chair



(No Model.)

P. M. SHOTWELL.

CONVERTIBLE GHAIR. No. 560,547. Patented May 19, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEICE.

PHEBE MARIE sI-roTwELL, on LINDEN, MICHIGAN.

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560, 547, dated May 19, 1896. Application filed February 12, 1896. Serial No.'579,056. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHEBE MARIE Snor- WELL, residing at Linden, in the'county of Genesee an d State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Convertible Chair, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an improved chair, more especially constructed for use in the nursery or other places where the care of sick children or babies is required; and it primarily has for its object to provide a chair of this character of a simple and inexpensive construction, easily manipulated, and which will effectually serve for its intended purposes.

My invention also has other objects in view, which hereinafter will appear; and it consists in the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, such as will be first described in detail, and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my im- Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same, the arm being in its elevated position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the arm lowered. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 3. Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section on the line 4 l of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the detent or look devices hereinafter referred to.

I11 the practical construction my improved chair is preferably in the nature of a rockingchair, as shown, it being understood, however, that the rockers may be omitted and the chairbe in the nature of an ordinary leg-chair.

The front legs A of my improved chair have slotways or recesses B extended their length and are connected at the top to the side or base boards 0, which join at the rear end with the rear legs D, which have round upper extensions D, which form the end posts for the back E of the chair. At the rear sides, adjacent the base-boards O, the legs A have apertures a a for the passage of the latch or lock detents J presently described.

G indicates side arms or rest members ,Which have the rear eye or ring portion 9 g, which freely slide on the members D D, but yet fit the same close enough to bind and be locked from a free movement when the said arms G are a trifle out of a true horizontal position.

' H H indicate notched metal bars, which are hung pendent from the front end of the arms G to fit and freely move vertically within the hollow-leg members A, such bars being pivotally hung on the arms Gby the pins h h, as

clearly shown. It will be noticed by reference to Fig. 2 that the bar H does not snugly fit the recessinthe leg A, but has a slight lateral or swing movement therein for a purpose presently explained.

Connected with each arm G and leg member A is a simple and easily-operated detent or lock mechanism, the construction of which is most clearly shown in Fig. 5, and consists of a horizontally-disposed plunger-rod J, having its front end j supported and held to slide in the opening a in the leg, While its rear end is pivotally joined to a crank portion of a short rock-shaft K, j ournaled in the board 0, and having its outer or projected end provided with a thumb or turning member W, as clearly shown.

L indicates a coiled spring secured at one end to the rod J and at the other to the board 0, the purpose of which is to normally pull the plunger or lock-rod J through the aperture a into engagement with the notched bar.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the operation and advantages of my improved chair will be readily understood. It will be manifest that as occasion may require either one or both arms may be lowered,

the lowering action being effected by turning the knob at the side to pull the plunger-rod J from a locked engagement with the notched bar and by pressing down' on the arm. To raise the arm, it is only necessary to lift it, as the notched bar, having a slight lateral movement in the recess or way in the leg A, will readily pass up past the rod J Without the necessity of forcing it too far rearward against spring tension.

While I have not so illustrated it, it is manifest that, if desired, the front legs may be made hollow, and a metal tube may be inserted therein to form the way or recess for notched bar H to travel in. The ring 9 at the rear end of the arm may also have a guide-lug to fit a corresponding recess in the member D, as shown in Fig. 3, if it is desired to hold the arm from sidewise motion as it is moved up or down.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A chair having its front legs made hollow and having its back portion formed with vertical end guides, side arms having their rear ends held to travel vertically on the end guides notched bars held pendent from the front end of the side arms and movable in the hollow legs, and detent mechanism for holding the said notched bars to their adjusted positions as specified.

2. The combination with the base-boards O, the hollow front legs A, having apertures a, and the leg members D D, of the side arms G, having guide portions movable on the members D, the notched bars II, held pivotally pendent from the front end of the arms G, and the spring-actuated plunger-rod J, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

The combination with the base-boards O, the hollow front legs A, having apertures a and the end leg portions D D, of the side arms G, having eye members movable on the leg portions D, the notched bars I'I, pivoted to the front end of the arms G, and held pendent in l1ollow-leg members, said ,bars having a limited lateral or swing movement in such leg portions, the plunger-rod J, and means for forcing the rod through the aperture (1, to engage the notched bar as specified.

4:. The combination with the hollow legs A, having apertures a the legs D D, the arms G, the pendent notched bars II, and the baseboards 0, all arranged substantially as described, of the plunger-rod J, the rook-shaft K, having a crank portion connected to the rod J, said shaft having a finger portion or knob and the coil-spring L, secured to the board G, and the rod J, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

P1111313 MARIE SHOTWELL.

Vitnesses:

JAMES A. SHoTwELL, JAMES L. SPENSER. 

